LOC21:10
18:10 GMT
BRUSSELS, March 19 (KUNA) -- The European Commission requested on Wednesday that the American company Apple improve the compatibility of its iPhone with competing devices including smartwatches and headphones, under the EU's Digital Markets Act.
The EU Commission stated in a press release that "interoperability enables a deeper and smoother integration of third-party products with Apple's ecosystem."
The statement explained that with Apple's cooperation, "there will be a wider range of products available to consumers in Europe that are compatible with their Apple devices."
The European Commission said it would assist Apple in its compliance by outlining the necessary measures to enable interoperability with iOS for third-party connected devices and by streamlining the process Apple has put in place to handle future interoperability requests with iPhone and iPad devices.
The measures taken by the European Commission concern nine iOS connectivity features, which are mainly used with connected devices such as smartwatches, headphones, and televisions.
The statement noted that these measures would give device manufacturers and app developers better access to iPhone features that interact with these devices (such as displaying notifications on smartwatches), faster data transfers (such as device-to-device Wi-Fi connections and near-field communication), and easier device setup (such as pairing).
The measures ensure that this innovation will take place with full respect for user privacy and security, as well as the integrity of Apple's operating systems, according to the statement. (end)
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